


To Trust a Naga

by Wherever_Girl



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: I took a lot of creative liberties proceed with caution, M/M, Naga!Jack, total and complete au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27354757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wherever_Girl/pseuds/Wherever_Girl
Summary: Jack: ...What, I'm a snake now?!Rhys: I don't see a difference XDJack: Watch it, you little sh*t. T_TRhys: To be honest, I didn't think we would get wrapped up in her naga-craze.Jack: *facepalm* Was that a pun? Please don't tell me that was a pun.[Prompt: Jungle!AU. Rhys is an exiled villager with an extraordinary gift, hoping to use it to tame the Beast of Helios in order to get revenge and return home... only to find out that the so-called 'beast' has his own plans.]
Relationships: Rhack - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	To Trust a Naga

**Author's Note:**

> No one is safe from my naga-addiction. Not even Handsome Jack! XD
> 
> NOTE: After rereading the story, I realized that there were some plot-holes in Rhys meeting Jack; I realized it didn't make sense that Rhys would tell him about the 'shrine to the lost chief' without knowing who Jack was in the first place, so I did my best to fix that mistake, and edit a bit of the dialogue near the end just to make it feel a bit more in-character. (heh, me keeping these guys in-character, what a laugh XD)

The jungle was dense with humidity as the sun drifted high, the buzzing insects and reptiles being the only creatures that enjoyed the damp weather. ‘The sweat of nature’, Rhys called it, as the villager made his trek through the green forest, hoping to find a river soon so that he could refill his canteen.

It had been days since he was exiled from the Hyperion tribe and into the untamed wilderness of Helios. Vaughn, his closest friend, wanted to go with him… but Rhys knew he would not last long, nor did he want his friend to share his burden. All he could promise was that he would return somehow, and told his friend to remain alert.

Not to mention, the village only needed one person to sacrifice themselves to ‘the monster’.

Rhys scowled; the only reason he was ‘chosen’ was because he was gifted: he had The All-Seeing Eye, a special trait that allowed him to see things others could not, to ‘analyze’ people and creatures and objects. He had the Birthmark of Hyperion on his arm, which gave it great strength and could even conjure light and illusions.

Obviously, someone so special was meant to be a lamb to the slaughter…

Not that he was originally meant to be the sacrifice. No, originally the tribe left special goods and treasures as a peace offering; but that changed when Vasquez overthrew Henderson as the tribal leader, and announced that someone would be chosen to be exiled to the beast’s lair. “Monsters don’t care so much about food and shiny things--- or did you not notice there have been attacks deep in the jungle the last several weeks?” he had announced… and without hesitation pinpointed Rhys as the ‘perfect sacrifice’.

The worst part was, Vasquez had a point about the attacks. Even when Henderson was in charge, Rhys noticed that no matter what valuable possessions they delivered, ‘something’ was always lurking too close to the village at night. Hunters and gatherers would come rushing back, stammering about seeing a long scaly body, or finding someone--- whether from another tribe or one of their own--- lying on the ground, their bones crushed and their necks wringed as if strangled to death. But Henderson would not listen...

Rhys began to wonder if the old tribe leader allowed the monster to do such things, just as a ‘bonus’ to ensure complete security. Now, Vasquez was just choosing people he didn’t like to be collateral.

But the gifted one did not plan on being a sacrifice. He planned on returning to the village…

All he needed was help from the enemy.

*H*

It was near the afternoon when Rhys reached a river, filling his canteen. He was taking a drink when something caught his eye, and he spat out his water in utter shock. Hanging from a tangle of vines was a rotting corpse, its face missing.

Not good. That meant Psychos lived nearby; they always marked their territory with the bodies of their victims, wearing the faces of the deceased for one of their sadistic rituals. Unlike the ‘monster’, they could not be reasoned with--- they thrived on violence and bloodshed, adored ripping off people’s faces and eating their eyeballs, being total cannibals.

 _Guess I’m really far from home, now…_ Rhys thought with a gulp. He looked around, using his ASE to survey the area. Sure enough, there were traps set up on the path ahead, and fresh footprints showing that a few Psychos were lying in wait somewhere. He would have to find another path.

*sssthup!*

A spear hit the spot he had been standing one second after he stepped away, and he looked up to see five Psychos had been hiding in the trees above him! They leaped down, surrounding him.

Thankfully, Rhys did not leave home unprepared. He took out his baton, carved from the bone of a full-grown Kraggon and enchanted with the ability to strike lightning upon impact; he used his normal arm to wield it, smacking and zapping his attackers, and using his gifted arm to flash a bright light, blinding them long enough to knock them into the river.

There came screeches and hollers, and he realized a whole hunting party would be arriving. “Shit!” he cursed, and took off running. He could take on maybe five Psychos, but a hunting party consisting of ten or fifteen? He wasn’t that strong.

He scanned the area for a place to hide, but found that there were a few traps set up down this path as well. Using his baton, he set them off after he passed; arrows shot out, boulders dropped, nets fell, and heavy logs swung down in his wake. Behind him, pursuing Psychos ended up smashed, crushed, impaled, or tripped by their own traps, but a few were quick enough to dodge… or, just go around, having common sense.

Rhys looked ahead, finding there was one more trap--- a pit! Mustering his strength, he shot forward and…

Ran around it.

As wide as it was, there was no way he would be able to jump and clear it--- and considering Psycho pits were normally filled with sharp spears, he wasn’t going to try to jump and risk being a human shish-kebab.

He continued running through the jungle, hearing the Psychos still hot on his tail. It sounded like they were swinging through the trees, hoping to jump him from above or cut him off in his tracks. He used his ASE to not only make sure there were no traps or ambushes waiting, but to see if there was a route he could take that would help him evade the cannibals…

“Whoa!” He gasped; upon clearing the bushes, he found he had run out of ground. The cliff was right by a waterfall, and down below were sharp rocks.

Another spear shot forth, almost impaling his leg, the tip of it grazing his shin. He hissed in pain, turning to see that the Psychos were just seconds from capturing and slaughtering him.

He looked down. Having no other choice, he jumped…

…

The Psychos ran to the edge, looking down. They cursed and growled. “I wanted his face!” one of them groaned.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find you another pretty one to wear,” another assured.

“Really? Can it have freckles??”

“If it doesn’t, we’ll poke holes in it and give it some,”

“Yay!”

With that, the hunting party left.

…

On the underside of the cliff, hanging on to an unearthed tree root, Rhys let out a heavy sigh.

He looked down, realizing he had one long climb below him.

*H*

It was well after sundown by the time Rhys finished his descent. He waded through the river until he managed to climb onto a rock, the mist of the waterfall sprinkling on his skin. He wiped his face, looking around, and realizing he was exactly where he needed to be.

Across the river there was a slab… set up as if it were used to place something (or someone) on. There were empty baskets on it, looking weathered as if they had been left there days ago. From their designs, he could tell they came from the Hyperion village.

He turned and looked towards the waterfall; with his ASE, he found the entrance to a cave.

Mustering his courage, Rhys stood up and---

*Splash!*

…forgot the rock he stood on was slippery and fell back into the river. _Good thing no one was around to see that… I hope._ The gifted one thought, imagining someone from another tribe having been watching from the bushes.

Climbing back onto the rock, Rhys carefully made his way across the slick-stone ground and crawled through the heavy waves of the waterfall. Once he felt the dampness of the cave, he stood up and took in his surroundings; he used the palm of his gifted arm to summon a light, and began to explore the enormous cavern.

All around there were markings on the wall; they seemed to tell a story. There was a drawing of a group of people standing together; fighting another group beneath a moon; one of the people was standing before a gateway of sorts, a large beast coming forth as if they were calling it; in another, a different person was punching them, their fist going through a symbol of a circled upside-down V that seemed to slam onto the face of the first person, leaving a scar.

The story went on--- the person with the scarred face was married… they had a daughter with wings… they were on a throne of sorts, a leader of a village. Then they were trying to summon another monster… a group of people were attacking… and the person was transformed….

“Like what you’re seeing?”

“Gah!” Rhys yelped, turning and looking around; his eyes fell on a man who was leaning over a boulder. “H-How long have you been there?”

“Tch, nice to meet you too. I think the real question should be, what do you think you’re doing trespassing in someone else’s cave?” The stranger questioned. Getting a better look, Rhys could see he had the same scarred face as the person on the walls; his eyes were mismatched, his hair neatly brushed, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

“Um…” Rhys composed himself, though felt a bit awkward now. “My name is Rhys, and I come from the Hyperion tribe. I’m… I’m looking for the Beast of Helios; I-I heard it lived in the cave.”

The man arched an eyebrow. “Really. …Why would a scrawny thing like you be looking for something so terrifying?” He looked him up and down. “You’re obviously not strong enough to take it down, and that weapon of yours is a joke, so obviously you’re not planning on hunting it (unless you’re a complete idiot). It doesn’t seem like you’re carrying anything valuable, so you’re not here to leave any peace offerings…”

Rhys shifted. “I know. I’ve been exiled to be a sacrifice for it… but… I plan on taming it, and using it to get back into my village and overthrow the man who---“

“Stop right there, princess. Are you saying that you were told to be a sacrifice, and you come here without a strong weapon, fine goods, or a decent plan… all in hopes of taming a creature known for strangling people to death?”

The gifted one shifted. “I’m not unprepared… I have the gift of the All Seeing Eye, and the Birthmark of Hyperion,” His gifted traits glowed as he spoke, figuring he could convince the stranger. 

The man only smirked, pushing his fist up to his mouth as he began to snicker. “Pfft! Ha ha…! AH HA HA HA!” he laughed, his guffaws echoing in the cave. “Oh man… that’s a good one, kiddo! You think that’s all it takes to get a monster on your side?? You’re not the only one who---“ he made air-quotes. “--’has a special gift’. Hell, I had a daughter with an enchanting voice, and she got it from her mother! You’re not the only one who tried to use your ‘gift’ to try to stop the beast!”

Rhys clenched his fists, feeling indignant. “O-Oh yeah?! What makes you such an expert?!”

The man smirked, then came out from around the rock… and Rhys’ eyes widened, seeing 40 feet of long, thick snake-tail trailing behind him! The scales were dark brown, with yellow H-like markings for the pattern. _A naga?!_

“Because you’re talking to him, babe!” The naga loomed over him, grinning sinisterly. “The name’s Handsome Jack--- aka, the Beast of Helios,” he leaned down, staring Rhys right in the eye. “So tell me, Rhysie… how do you plan on taming me?”

*H*

“…Hey, wake up! Helios to Rhys, Helios to Rhys! Come in, Rhys!”

The gifted one groaned, his vision blurry as he opened his eyes, finding Jack looking at him--- upside-down? “Wha-What happened…?” he slurred.

“Well, you trespassed in my cave, I introduced myself, asked you a question… and you passed out like a feeble old lady,”

Rhys’ eyes shot open when he recalled where he was… and who/what he was talking to! He let out a gasp and tried to run… only to find that he wasn’t moving. It then dawned on him that Jack wasn’t upside-down, but _he_ was! The naga was holding him by the ankles!

Jack chuckled, enjoying his panic. “Calm down there, cupcake. As much as I love seeing people tremble in fear, I _do_ need you to hold your nerve long enough to answer my question. How do you plan on taming _me?”_

“I… um…” Rhys was dumbstruck for a moment; he had figured he could have used his gift to somehow control the monster, always believing it was just another large animal that could be domesticated--- a few zaps with his baton, a few treats, maybe mesmerize it with some illusions… but that plan was shot down when he realized the monster was half-human--- not only that, but it was Handsome Jack, the former leader of the Hyperion village!

Rhys had always wondered what happened to him; he remembered working in the mines when Jack was in power, having admired him and wishing to one day be the man he was--- strong, powerful, respected, and having great hair. When last he heard, Jack had been killed, and all that remained was the mask he had worn; looking at the naga now, he could understand why, and it explained why the gifted one did not recognize him any sooner, and he could only wonder how he got that scar…

“Tick-tock, princess!” Jack spoke up, breaking him out of his thoughts.

The gifted one thought quickly. “I guess… I could start by just… talking to you?”

The naga scoffed. “Talking? That’s it? Not sure you can just get me on your side with a little chit-chat, pumpkin.”

“Hey, it would be a start. I mean… it probably gets a little dull around here, right? Having someone to talk to would liven things up a bit. Plus,” Rhys looked over at the walls. “It seems like you’re quite the story-teller. You probably have a lot to say and… well, obviously I don’t have any plans, so I’ll listen.”

“Listen, eh? …I think you gave me an idea, kiddo.” Jack let him go--- Rhys gasped as he fell, only for the tail to catch him around the waist and turn him upright so he landed on his rear. The naga slithered up onto a ledge, the lower end of his tail coiling around the young man. “You want my help to get back into your village and get rid of the asswipe who kicked you out to be a sacrifice… and in exchange, you’ll listen to me. No. Matter. What.”

Rhys stood up straight. “T-That’s not what I meant---!” he began, but the tail wrapped around him, the tip of it tapping his nose.

“You want back in? You’ll listen to me. That’s the deal, kitten--- take it or _leave it,”_

Rhys gasped as the tail wrapped around his throat, tight enough to cut off his air supply. He let out a strangled gasp, and Jack only watched him with a smirk, waiting for a verbal response. “*gack* A-Alright! Deal! DEAL!” he choked out.

Jack loosened his grip on his throat, the tip of his tail patting Rhys on the shoulder. “Heh, ya made the right choice, Rhysie.”

Rhys rubbed his neck, taking in a breath. Somehow, he wasn’t so sure.

The naga chuckled, sensing his paranoia; it gave him great delight, having a feeling he was going to have a lot of fun with this human. Most people he encountered were scared shitless to the point where they couldn’t speak, or tried to kill him on sight with trembling hands. Rhys, he could tell, was different—he was filled with fear, but the way he tried to keep himself composed was amusing.

Plus, he offered to be a companion Jack could converse with--- which was a rare offer (‘rare’ meaning no one ever suggested it at all). It was a nice change of pace outside of the usual shit.

He remembered that Henderson yut offered him treasures in exchange for security, even telling the half-snaked man he could kill one or two villagers who went into the jungle so long as he stayed out of the village… it was that kind of fear that made him agree, he was just biding his time before he would re-enter Hyperion and take back the throne that had been stolen from him.

And Rhys was his chance.

“Lets get you settled in for the night, kitten.” Jack told him, slithering off the ledge, his tail sliding off the young man as he passed by; he motioned him to follow, and led him into another cavern; this one was lit with torches, a large nest framed with stones and filled with soft furs built in the back against the wall; a large stone basin stood beneath a dripping stalactite, filled with water, a reflective flat crystal propped up on an outcrop above it; and a small precipice filled with wood was seen in the corner, a small fire burning.

“Not bad, eh? It may not be as classy as a hut in the Hyperion village, but it’s better than sleeping up in a tree.” Jack commented as he watched Rhys look around the room in intrigue. He reached into his nest, grabbing a couple pelts and laying them on the ground. “You can sleep there. And if you need to take a whiz, go back out and take the left tunnel, and use the precipice on the right; if you need to shit, go further down and stick your ass over the pit—provided you don’t fall in.”

“A-Alright,” Rhys answered, still a bit unnerved; he lied down on the pelt, flinching when he felt the tip of the naga’s tail wrap around his ankle.

“Gotta make sure you don’t try anything funny, kiddo. Believe me, I don’t take well to getting stabbed in the back,” With that, Jack curled up in his nest. “Sweet dreams, cupcake.”

He smiled to himself, sensing Rhys’ panic as the young man had to force himself to sleep.

*H*

When Rhys awoke the following day, he was greeted by the alluring smell of cooked meat, eggs, and sliced fruit. He sat up, finding a slab of rock placed in front of him, a decent meal arranged on top of it. He looked around, not seeing the naga anywhere in sight. _Was it all a dream?_

“Morning, Rhysie!” Jack exclaimed, dropping down in front of him!

“AUGH!” Rhys screamed, falling backwards; he noticed the naga was hanging on to the stalactites, hanging upside-down in front of him. “Don’t DO that!”

“Heh, sorry kiddo, but since we don’t exactly have any coffee beans to grind and boil, you’ll need something to wake up! I mean, geez, it’s almost noon! You probably didn’t get any sleep until after midnight last night!”

The gifted one sat up, letting out a breath. He looked at the meal before him. “Is this for me?” he asked, just to be sure.

“No, I figured the rats needed some nourishment.” Jack replied in sarcasm. “Of course it’s for you, idiot! What, you think Handsome Jack doesn’t know how to be a good host?”

Rhys looked at the food; he used his ASE to make sure none of it was poisoned, before eating it. “T… thank you,” he murmured.

“No problem, got plenty to eat out here,” Jack lowered himself down, doing a hand-stand before crawling across the ground, standing upright as his tail touched solid ground. He tapped his stomach. “I only need to eat once a month, and I already had my fill yesterday morning… so you don’t have to worry about being swallowed alive or whatever shit you were having nightmares about.”

“G-Good to know…” Rhys nibbled on the fruit, his mind racing. He had to find something to say that would help persuade the naga to work with him--- without any consequences. He looked at the meat, analyzing it with his ASE to figure out what kind it was… and his eyes widened in shock. “Is this… h-human flesh?!”

“Heh, I doubt anyone would refer to Psychos as ‘human’, cupcake.” He chuckled as Rhys gagged. “I’m kidding, numb-nuts! It’s from a skag. They’re always lurking around the caves--- I gotta snap their necks almost every other day whenever they come too close to my territory. They’re one of few creatures I can’t ingest whole--- those rough outer-skins of theirs are too sharp and would scrape up my insides. Humans, however, are easier to swallow so there’s no point in skinning ‘em. …Plus, I only use forced-cannibalism on my enemies; did it once to a thief who was stealing food from the village--- made him eat his own brother!”

The gifted one began to turn green. “…I think I’m gonna be sick…”

Jack only laughed. “I’m joking! …He killed his brother and cooked his body to hide the evidence. No one else figured out why the stew tasted so exquisite that one night.”

“Please stop,” Rhys held his stomach, his appetite ruined.

“C’mon, don’t let my sick sense of humor keep you from eating. Plus, I don’t want that food wasted! Go on. Eat.”

Sighing, the young man forced himself to finish the small breakfast--- turns out skag meat didn’t taste all that bad.

“Done? Good, now follow me. We have a few plans to go over,”

*H*

They walked through the cavern, Rhys having to stoop, climb, and squeeze under, over, and through narrow passages and paths, often having to watch his step to avoid falling into a precipice, and most importantly trying not to step on or trip over Jack’s tail; the naga himself navigated through the tunnels with ease, a constant smile on his lips as he spoke--- whether he was pleased with himself over his ideas, or (not so) secretly enjoyed the fact that the gifted one was struggling to keep up.

Maybe both.

Rhys, despite the tedious walk, managed to listen to Jack’s plan at least; they would wait a month before going back to the village, that would be long enough for Vasquez to assume the gifted one dead and let the heat die down.

During the month, they would explore an old Atlas village, located across the river in the valley of Pandora. Jack told him there was a map there that would lead them to a Vault Key… with some assembly required. According to legends, this Key was split up into three parts and hidden in separate locations. And the naga just so happened to have acquired one of the pieces during his rule.

Once they got the two missing pieces, they would return to the Hyperion village. They would sneak into Jack’s old hut--- from what the gifted one said, it was off-limits to everyone, to serve as a ‘shrine to the lost chief’, and find the last piece of the Key.

Once they opened the Vault, they would have all the power they would need to not only overthrow Vasquez, but to rule all of Helios.

At least, that’s what Jack had in mind.

“That’s a good plan, but…” Rhys began, as they sat near the entrance of the tunnel; it led outside into the jungle, yellow and blue flowers growing all around, purple fruits hanging from trees, and a couple of birds flying overhead.

“But…?” Jack pressed, his tone steady though his expression showed he was not going to let the human challenge his authority.

“Well, why go through all those lengths? You’re a naga--- you’re already strong and fast, and everyone in Hyperion already fears you… heck, they have a shrine to you! If they found out the Handsome Jack who used to rule over them was the beast of Helios, they would probably surrender in a heartbeat! You don’t need to open a Vault to get what you want!”

“So you’re saying I don’t need you? Alright, whatever you say kiddo.” Jack shrugged and wrapped his tail around Rhys’ throat again, choking him. “Too bad, it would have been a fun little road trip for us,”

“*gack!* Wait! No! I-I still want to help! *urk!*”

The naga chuckled, letting him go. “Just playing with ya, princess.” He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall as he looked outside. “I know I can take back Hyperion no sweat. I’ve got a shit-ton of strength, brains, and abilities to turn that Vasquez asshole into a cowering wimp. …But I’ve been that powerful before as a human--- and I learned that, if you don’t play your cards right, someone can steal that power away and use it against you, maybe even find a way to outmatch you somehow. Thus why you need a trump card, kid. You either go big, or you go home--- and that’s if you’re lucky to still have a home to go back to!”

Rhys rubbed his arm, thinking about the pictures on the walls. “Is that what you tried to do before? Open a Vault?”

“Once or twice, yeah…” Jack sniffed, clearing his throat. “But, it didn’t work out, we’ll put it that way. Didn’t trust the right people…” He slithered up to Rhys, giving him a look. “I can trust you, can’t I? You’re not dumb enough to try to stab Handsome Naga Jack in the back, are you pumpkin?”

The gifted one looked into the blue-and-green eyes, anxiety creeping up on him. “How do I know _you’re_ not the one who can’t be trusted?”

“Oh, come on! I made you breakfast!”

Rhys only continued to give him a look.

Jack scoffed, a smirk on his lips. “…Heh. Smart kid. Alright, looks like we’ll have to earn each other’s trust—which, let’s face it, won’t be easy… but by the time we find that Vault, I bet it will be water under the bridge. Just tell me what you want out of this deal, and I promise I’ll let you have it.”

The gifted one only sighed. “I just want to go home…”

That’s all he wanted. He wanted to go back to his hut, be with his friends, and get back to his normal life. He had worked hard in the mines until he was blessed with his ASE and the Mark of Hyperion, having been hoping that with his gifts he would have a more important role in the village--- perhaps become secondary chief and help run things. He remembered how he and Vaughn talked about all the great things they would get to do once Rhys had that authority…

But now here he was, in a cave with a suspicious naga, his dreams far out of reach.

Jack studied him, reading his emotions and sensing that longing. “Yeah… I remember that feeling,” He put an arm around the young man, startling him a bit. “Tell you what--- you help me out, and not only will I help you get home, but if you prove your worth I’ll make you my second in command. I mean, I’ll need someone to babysit Hyperion when I’m out and about--- help me find that Vault, and you’ll have the power to have assholes like Vasquez fed to kraggons.”

Rhys looked at him, astounded. _C-Can he read minds?!_ He wondered, finding it uncanny that Jack was promising a promotion he had been thinking about.

He thought hard about his choices. If he declined… well, chances are he would be strangled to death. But if he took the gamble, he might just get back home, get rid of his nemesis, and… possibly doom the world by letting Jack get back in control.

Then again, he did plan on using the naga to get what he wanted… and who knows? Maybe if he charmed the snake a bit, things would turn out alright.

Hopefully.

Rhys let out a heavy sigh, looking at Jack. “Just promise me you’ll have my back.”

“As long as you don’t turn on me,” Jack replied, patting him on the shoulder. “So, you in?”

The gifted one gave a firm nod. “Yeah.”

The naga smiled, making the human uncomfortable as he felt he made a terrible choice. “Great! You won’t live to regret it,”

Rhys only gulped.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, peeps, if anyone wants to see this story continue, here's the deal--- I'm back-logged on fics, getting very little feedback, and honestly that hurts the ol' muse. So! If anyone likes this story, I want to hear so in the comments! I will not update until I get 20 [positive] comments--- and I'm talking from different people, no 'one person posting 20 comments' or someone 'just posting one thing in 20 boxes' stuff! Either that, or... 500 kudos! 20 good comments or 500 kudos! That's right! I'm holding this story hostage for the sake of positive feedback! Ah ha ha ha! You'll never take me alive!
> 
> Jack: Aaaaand she's officially lost it. 
> 
> Rhys: ..did she ever have it?
> 
> (okay but seriously, I welcome comments and would like some feedback on this. Let me see if it's worth continuing!)


End file.
